Technical Studies Get Boost Vocational Students To Get College Credit

June 19, 1993|By DEBBIE CENZIPER, Education Writer

To stamp out the stereotype that vocational education is a second-class alternative for students who cannot survive in the academic mainstream, Palm Beach County school officials are devising a plan to offer college credit to students in the specialized programs.

Similar to the credit-earning advanced placement academic classes in county high schools, the credits for vocational students will transfer to area community colleges so students can begin their higher education studies ahead of peers, said John Boyle, district assistant superintendent of special programs.

The idea is to attract younger students to the programs.

``People think that the way to go is straight academics,`` Boyle said earlier this week. ``But the technical centers nurture sophisticated skills that can transfer into a very high-paying job. Giving students college credit is giving them an edge and pushing them in a college direction.``

The South Technical Education Center in Boynton Beach has been working with Palm Beach Community College to offer students in district health programs credit by January, Boyle said. Students will be able to earn up to 15 credits that can transfer to the community college.

From there, Boyle said, the partnerships may apply to all district technical education programs, including ones focused on computers, television production and commercial art, and the partnerships may expand to other area and Florida colleges. Students in advanced placement classes already can transfer their credits to most Florida colleges.

``Once you set this precedent, you can transfer this into almost anything,`` he said. ``With this idea, you`re going to attract a lot of students who wouldn`t normally go into technical education. If we`re now saying this is so good we`re going to give you credit, we`re going to get a lot more students into the programs.``

There were almost 31,000 students enrolled at three area technical schools during the past school year. The schools are in Boynton Beach, Riviera Beach and Belle Glade, and most of the students are adults looking to learn a new trade.

Businesses are looking for employees who are highly skilled in computers and workers who are trained long before they join a company, said Buck Passmore, Palm Beach County Southern Bell regional manager.

While math and English skills are still important, technical skills must be nurtured as well so students do not leave school without any training, he said.

``When they already know the skills, it just makes the training for us go much easier and much faster,`` he said.

Boyle also hopes to attract younger students by integrating regular studies such as math and science into the specialized courses. That way, students can spend the whole day at technical schools instead of dividing up their day at their regular high school.

``Business people are saying students don`t know anything,`` Boyle said. ``You have to train them. Technical education is really the wave of the future.``

In Febuary, a new Center for Electronic Emphasis opened at North Tech, and state Education Commissioner Betty Castor said it was the newest and most advanced of its kind in the state.